A day after a shooting at the end of the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl victory rally at Union Station left a Johnson County woman dead, the metro region is still reeling.
Authorities in Kansas City continue to investigate the shooting and have not yet identified any suspects publicly, though Kansas City Police said yesterday that three people had been taken into custody.
Here are some of the latest updates you may have missed:
The number of injured has increased to 23
- In a news conference Thursday morning, Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves said the official count of those injured in the shooting had risen to 23, up from 22 reported Wednesday.
- Graves said the victims ranged in age from 8 to 47.
- Half of those who suffered gunshot wounds were under the age of 16, she said.
Police say there is no link to terrorism or extremism
- In her remarks Thursday, Graves also said investigators had ruled out the possibility that the shooting was linked to terrorism and said that it “appeared to be a dispute between several people that ended in gunfire.”
- Graves said two of the three people who have been detained are minors under the age of 18.
- Graves also said “several” firearms were recovered at the scene, but she did not go into details on what type of guns may have been involved.
A Shawnee mother was killed
- On Wednesday, Lisa Lopez-Galvan of Shawnee was identified as the person killed in the shooting.
- Lopez-Galvan was a Bishop Miege graduate and the mother of two children who was also a beloved local DJ and radio host for a weekly Tejano music program on independent radio station KKFI.
- KKFI confirmed Lopez-Galvan’s death in a Facebook post Wednesday night, saying, “This senseless act has taken a beautiful person from her family and this KC Community.”
- Tributes poured in on Facebook from friends of Lopez-Galvan and her family, many noting her connection to the local music scene as a DJ and also as the daughter of a long-performing mariachi musician.
Local elected officials at the rally weighed in
- Several Johnson County lawmakers were at the rally Wednesday with at least one near where the shooting occurred at Union Station.
- Rep. Mari-Lynn Poskin of Leawood had been positioned for the rally near the stage and was in a Union Station bathroom when gunshots rang out, prompting people to rush into the bathroom where she got pushed to the ground, she said.
- Kansas Sen. Dinah Sykes of Lenexa, a Democrat and the Senate Minority Leader, also said she was at the rally and issued a statement that said, in part, “We can’t continue to accept routine, preventable gun violence as normal.”
- Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly attended the rally and took to X (formerly Twitter) to say she had been evacuated and was out of harm’s way.
- National elected leaders, including Democratic Rep. Sharice Davids and Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall also weighed in, with both thanking the quick actions of first responders.
JoCo schools offered counseling supports
- All Johnson County school districts canceled classes Wednesday for the parade.
- After the shooting, district officials said counseling and social-emotional supports would be available for students who were returning to school Thursday and may need help processing Wednesday’s events.
- “We will proceed with a normal day tomorrow [Thursday] because we know that our children often crave the security of routines when times are hard,” Shawnee Mission Superintendent Michelle Hubbard said in an emailed message to families. “At the same time, we will be prepared to make adjustments as necessary, so that each student receives the support that they need.”
- The Johnson County Mental Health Center also issued a statement on X, reminding people that the county’s 24/7 help line was available at (913) 268-0156.
- You can also call 988 to reach someone who can talk to you, or text “SHARE” at 741-741.
A Shawnee Mission teen said Andy Reid comforted him
- Gabe Wallace, a sophomore at Shawnee Mission East, attended the rally with some friends and was near the shooting, he told the Kansas City Star.
- In the ensuing chaos, Wallace said he jumped a barrier — scraping his face, in the process — and ran into Union Station, the Star reported.
- In Union Station, Wallace said Chiefs coach Andy Reid tried to comfort him: “He was kind of hugging me, just like, ‘Are you OK, man? Are you OK? Just please breathe.’ He was being real nice and everything.”
Chiefs players, team expressed shock
- In the hours after the shooting, the Chiefs team confirmed all of its players, coaches and personnel had made it away from the rally unharmed.
- “We are truly saddened by the senseless act of violence that occurred outside of Union Station at the conclusion of today’s parade and rally,” the team said in a statement. “Our hearts go out to the victims, their families, and all of Kansas City.”
- Quarterback Patrick Mahomes posted to X that he was “Praying for Kansas City…”
- Tight end Travis Kelce said he was “heartbroken at the tragedy that took place.”
- Wide receiver Marquez Valdez-Scantling posted to X that he was looking to help several younger victims who had been taken to Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City: “Would love to help them out anyway I can,” he said.
Investigators are still asking for help
- Kansas City Police say they still want people who were in the vicinity of the shooting or may have witnessed it directly to reach out to investigators.
We need to hear from anyone in the vicinity of the parade shooting today that directly witnessed the shooting incident, has any video of the shooting incident or who was a victim of the shooting who has not yet reported being shot to please call this dedicated line 816-413-3477
— kcpolice (@kcpolice) February 15, 2024
- Anyone with video of the rally that they think may be helpful is asked to upload it to the FBI’s Kansas City field office here.
